hunterbishop.com

Give credit to Hamakua District Councilman Dominic Yagong for reversing his support for the storage center rezoning proposal. Good to see common sense planning take precedence over political fealty. After all, how hypocritical is it to halt zone changes in Kona and Kohala until the Community Development Plan is completed, while at the same time approving a zone change in Puna where a CDP also is being completed?

Of course Mr. Yagong's stature today depends on your perspective on the issue. A  true champion of those opposed the project, he's no doubt a waffler and a weasel to the other side. But don't worry about that, Dominic, you did the right thing.

Yagong's second-reading switcheroo also shed new light on Chairman Pete Hoffmann's little pat on the head for anyone concerned about the lack of videoconferencing of Wednesday's Kona Council meeting in Hilo. Hoffmann tried to explain away the videoconferencing blackout before the meeting by saying not to worry, nothing new or important would happen anyway on the storage center proposal. Well, his pooh-poohing of citizen's concerns turned out to be very wrong. In fact the whole project took a 180-degree turn and went down in flames on second reading. But East Hawaii residents were not afforded the opportunity to participate in the meeting as West Hawaii residents are when the meetings are held in Hilo. So, in the future, don't tell us why we don't need videoconferencing, Mr. Hoffmann. Make the effort to provide it so East Hawaii residents get the same access to the County Council that others around the island get.